Towing device.



W. C. LAMONT.

TOWING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MARZSY, 19!

Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

' UNITED STATES PATENT onn on.

WILLIAM G. LAMONT, or onnoNTA, new YORK.

*rowmo :onvrcn.

Application filed March 23, 1918. Serial No. 224,332.

li his invention relates to an improved towing device and has for its primary object to provide simple, durable and serviceable means whereby one motor vehicle or railway car maybe pulled or towed by another.

It is a more particular object of the invention to provide a device for the above purpose embodying a casing or housing and means for attaching the same to the opera-.

tive vehicle, atowing cable, and means within the casing for normally retaining the cable therein, and yieldable means on the free end of the cable for attaching the same to the vehicle to ,be towed.

It is also a general object of my invention to provide a device of the above character which maybe carried as a part of the motor vehicle equipment, and by the use of which the possible wrecking of the vehicle bein towed and injury to the occupant thereo when the 'towing vehicle slackens speed or comes to a sudden stop or start, is obviated.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved combination, construction and relative arrange ment of the several parts as will be hereinafter" more fully described, subsequently claimed and illustrated in the accompany ing drawing in which similar reference characters designate the corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating the application and use of my improved towing device;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the housing or casing for the towing cable;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2'; and

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the yieldable attaching device at the, free end of the cable.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 desighates a cable housing or casing prefer abiy of cylindrical form and constructed of housin sheet metal. The opposite end walls of this housing are centrally provided with openings through which the ends of the shaft 6 extend. The shaft ends. are journaled in the arms 8 of the yoke 7 said yoke being provided at its center with an eye or ring 9 for connectionto a hook or other attaching elementfixed to the frame of the Vehicle.

The housing 5 is held against rotation with the shaft 6 by means of a rod 10 extending longitudinally through the housing adjacent its body wall, the ends of said rod projecting beyond the opposite ends of the and being fixed in the arms 8 of the yo e 7. Within the housing 5 and in spaced relation to each end thereof, ,a p1urality of radially disposed rods 11 are fixed at their outer ends to the housing walls. The inner ends of each series of rods 11 are rigidly connected to each other by means of a ring or annulus 12 which loosely surrounds the shaft 6. Between each series of rods 11 and the adjacent end wall of the housing 5 a spiral spring 13 is located, one

.end of said spring being securely fixed to tection for the' springs 13 ;and effectually prevent any possibility of the cable contacting with said springs as it is wound upon the shaft 6.

The other or free end of the cable iii is equipped with means for yieldably con necting said cable to the vehicle to be towed. This .means as herein shown includes a cylindrical casing 17 upon each end of which a cap 18 is threaded. One of these caps is provided with a central opening 19 through whi'chthe cable end extends and a metal disk 20fis fixed 'to the extremityof the cable and is freely movable within the casing 17. One end of a coil spring 21"is secured'to one face of the disk 20, the other end of said spring bearing against the cap 18 on the inner end of the casin 17. The other of the caps 18 is provide with a curved rod or ball 22 for connection to an attaching part on the vehicle to be towed.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J an. 14, 1919.

considerable modification therein and .1 c on" 1. 1.16.

From the above deseri tion, the operation of the device will be readily understood. The towing device which constitutes a part, of the emergency equipment of the vehicle, is used in the event of e breakdown, whereby the vehicle can be easily and quickly coo.- pled or connected to another ope ive ve hicle with the proper distance space between the two vehicles as required by law. The yoke 7 in which housing; 5 and the shaft 6 are mounted is first attached to the frame of the operative vehicle at its rear end, and the cable then Withdrawn through the slot 16 and unwoimd from the shell. 6. In the rotzition of 5: id shaft, the spiral springs 16 are course closely coiled or Wound and placed itinder tensirm. The free end of the cable is ottecl'iecl to the vehicle to be towed at the fO'iWfl'L ll end. of its frame above stated and the springs 13 and 21 will eltectively act to at all maintain the cable taut and progressively take up the slack therein when the towed vehicle through its momentum or when on e grade travels at a greater speed than the towing vehicle. In such event the springs 3 tending to uncoil, rotate the shaft 6 that the cable 15 will he wound lVhcu the towing vehicle s hlenly si spin 91. Willie on the N" or would othervise be cuble to the inoper :md obviates the 1% the letter vehicle end thereof.

While my invention as above describe particularly designed as on einergeuc v ac cessory for motor vehicles, it apparent that itcon also be employed for towing roilivay cars. barges, and {or various other analogous purposes. When not in use, the cable is completely ivoundup enl incl-seed Within. the housing 5, and the entire device can then be packed or stored away in the body of "the vehicle in :1 relatively small sbece. The several parts of the device, very strong and durable in construction and will withstand severe strains. In view of the simplicity of these parts it will also be appreciated that the device can be manufactured at comparatively small cost.

While I have shown and described the preferred construction and relative errango ineut of the several elements, it is to be on derstood that the device is susceptible of therefore, reserve the privilege of adopting; ell such changeses be fairly embodied device including an attack using, a shaft journaled in the volre and of" ending; through cable attached. one of its shaft to be wound thereon and exi'cndin through on opcnin in hous- Well Winding; spring or zuiged'within each end of th' .ousiug tired atone of its ends to Ad shaft, and e common means to secure the other ends of said ;i e raid. the housing againstmovement uletive to the yoke.

2. A towing device includii an attaching oke. a housing, e shaft ion oiled in the arms of the yoke and extend through said housing, a rod extendingthrough the housing and fixed in the arms the yoke to prevent rotation of the housing with said short, a cable attached at one of its ends to said. shelf to be Wound thereon and extends ing through on opening the housing; wall,

a winding spring Within the housing fixed at one or its ends to soul shut"... and at its r end to rod, and :1 plurality of m.-

extending guard rods fixed at their ,nds to the housing will to prevent the cable with. said Winding 'ng device including on attuclr ug, a shaft journal fl. in the tee yoke and ext 15 g through sing, a rod extending through the mild fixed in the arms of the yoke to prevent rotation of the housing with said shaft, in cable attached at one of its ends to said shaft to be Wound thereon and extend "hog th rough an op ling in the housing wall, radially disposed series of guard rods within the housing and in spaced relation to each of its ends the outer ends of said rods being fixed to the housing well, an ennulus connecting the rods at their inner ends and loosely surrounding the shaft, and Winding spring arranged between each series of guard rods and the adjacent end Well of the Housing and fixed at one of its ends to 

